Redhill charity worker nominated for national mental health award

A Redhill mental health charity is celebrating one of its workers being nominated for a national award.

Jane Cattermole, from the cause Minding Your Business, was nominated for a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England Award at the House of Lords last Wednesday (February 26).

She was nominated in recognition of exemplary work in the field of mental health. Each of the nominees was congratulated on their achievement by Professor Lord Patel of Bradford OBE, patron of MHFA, before an audience of 150 people.

The awards identify examples of excellent projects and individuals, acknowledging innovation and high performance in raising mental health literacy across England. Jane, the service manager at Minding Your Business, liaises with employers, delivering training, masterclasses and employer audits.

She has been providing recruitment and retention services to organisations for 20 years in the UK and in Australia.

Minding Your Business, which is part of ESRA Limited, has grown out of an organisation that has specialised in the field of mental health for the last 30 years. Last year, it stated that according to the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, mental health issues cost employers an average of £1,035 per employee per year, through such things as presenteeism, reduced productivity, sickness absence and often costly employment tribunals. But it added that through some simple measures, employers can save a third of that cost - for a company of 100 staff a saving off the bottom line of £30,000 per year.

Jane was nominated for the national Instructor Award by Judy Corney of Minding Your Business, whose work includes supporting clients in employment.

She said: “Jane has a genuine passion and enthusiasm for mental well-being, in particular Mental Health First Aid. “As a trainer of MHFA, she delivers a challenging business-related course which has captured great interest and enlightenment. In our opinion she is one of the best trainers in the country.”

Jane has worked for ESRA since 2002 and has qualifications including in Integrative Counselling Psychotherapy.

The national awards winners will be announced later this year.

In the UK, one in four people will experience mental ill health and MHFA is a practical way people can use to support those who are affected. More than 65,000 people in the UK are now MHFA trained and have been taught to spot the early signs of a mental health problem, and to give support through measures including providing help on a First Aid basis and helping protect a person who might be at risk of harm.